the pentagon plans to change its policy and allow women to take part in direct combat. until now, they have been banned from thousands of jobs and front-line positions. >> i am absolutely thrilled about the lifting of the combat exclusion policy. in the civilian world, we refer to the glass ceiling where women cannot get beyond a point in the progression. in the military, we call it the brass ceiling. >> reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. congress has welcomed it, and so has the american public. >> if women were willing to put themselves on the lines, they should have every right to be there. >> every family has a win in general, and the military should also. >> the decision could open up 230,000 -- [no audio] until 2016 to rule on positions it thinks should remain closed to women. >> there were reports from mali that an islamist group has split off from the group that seized large parts of the north and is ready to enter talks to end the fighting. >> the splinter groups as it does not include foreign fighters and it renounces terrorism. as more french troops